Apparatus for sterilizing air



Nov. 26, 1929. J. F. SCHILLER Er. AL 1,736,839

y APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AIR n c .0 n J fw. LS E 9 f fJ (J 1 K M. r J@ I .n Lv() W L sv L m m ww No 26 929- J. F. scHiLJJxa ET AL APPARATUS `FOR STERILIZING AIR Filed Jan. s, 1923 l5 Smets-Sheet 2 pag.c

n ess es NOV. 26,1 1929. J, F, SCHILLER ET AL 1,736,839

APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AIR Filed Jan. 8, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 26,191.29.4

UNITED- STATES PATENT oFFlcE JOSEPH F. SHILLERAND WALTER W. WESCOT'E, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS 0l' TWOJTHIRDS TO SAID JOSEPH F. SCHILLER AND ONE-THIRD T0 SAID WALTER W. WESCOTT APPARATUS FOR SIIEIIRIIILIIZIN1/3iF AIR Application led January 8, 192.3. Serial No. 611,542.A

'There is a wide iield for use of pure sterilized air especially when used under compression. It may be used .for loading or unloading milk or other -liqulds in which freedom from bacteria or other impurities is required, cleansing tanks, plpes, cans or bottles,

drylng and cooling bottles, and fora variety of like purposes fon whlch ordinary compressed airis not permlssible because of its impurity. We have discovered that by comparatively simple means 'air may be so sterilized and purified that it may be used for transferring-milk not only without contaminatin crease in te bacterial content, and that it may be used to great advantage for the purposes above ment1oned. l

The object of our invention is to provide a simple apparatus' for so purifying air and sion tank,

our invention consists inthe apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the preferred form of our apparatus, a part of a storage tank being shown in section,

Figure 2 a vertical Figure 3a vertical section of an oil separator, i

Figure 4 a central section of an air-filtering device,

gigure 5 a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4, an

Figure 6 a section on line 6-.6 of Figure 4.

The numeral 1 indicates an air compressor which may be of any usual type, 2 the intake pipe, 3 the starti-n unloader, 4 the air outlet pipe which lea s to the top bf an expansion tank 5, shown asY of cylinder form and about four times as large as ipe 4, 6 a pipe connecting the lower end o tank 5 with. a

second expansion tank 7, the top of which is v24 leads `from the lter and is provided at its the milk but with a resulting de-y -As the air passes to the .c den rise in temperature and the cooling by exsection of an expan-l The filterrconsists of a spider 18 having a central bore 19, two pairs `ont cylindricalparts 20 and pipe connections 21.` The cylindrical parts 20 are adapted to receive sleeves 22 which are, filtering purposes. The sleeves are erforated, as indicated at 23, in that part oftheir periphery which is in alignment with the bore 19 to afford passage for the air. A pipe free ends with a vvalve 25 and with means for connection with a pipe 26, which may be flexible, leading to the point of use.

-In use we preferably compress the -air so that its temperature rises about 100 F. above atmospheric temperature, and expanding it within the tanks until it drops about 70 F. discharge pipe, it cools to atmospheric temperature. The sudpansion creates an action in the air which destroys the bacteria and thus sterilizes the air under pressure. It is found from analysis that the air after having passed through our improved apparatus inv the manner de*- scribed is sterile and free from impurities.

While we have described our invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of our invention may be Vchan ed without departing from the spirit thereo and hence we do not limit ourselves tothe precise construction set forth, but consider that we are at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope-of the appended claims.

Having thus describedy our invention, what i means in each of said connections' whereby y 95 the .eompresesd air may expand through successive stages.

2. An apparatus for sterilizing air comprising means for compressing air, means for filtering the air prior to compression, a plurality' oftanks of gradually increasing volpacked with wool adapted for urne, conduit connections between the tanks and the compressor means, and flow control means in each of said connections whereby the compressed air may expand through successive stages.

3. An apparatus Jfor sterilizing air comprising means for compressing air, means for filtering the air prior to compression, a plurality of tanks of gradually increasing volume, conduit connections between the tanks and the compressor means, How control means in each of said connections whereby the compressed air may expand through successive stages, and means for re'ltering the air after its passage through the said tanks.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOSEPH F. SCHILLER. WALTER W. WEYSCOTT. 

